This invention relates to a knife-and-sheath combination wherein the knife and sheath cooperate for improved security of carrying and convenience of use.
Knives serve as important tools for persons in active outdoor pursuits. A knife is used to cut objects, and can also serve other functions depending upon features built into the knife. Fixed-blade knives are typically stronger and may be put into service more quickly than folding knives, while folding knives often have a wider variety of features available.
The usefulness of the knife is related to its availability and ease of use, as well as its functionality. The knife must not be easily lost, either when stored or when used. The knife must be easily reached and retrieved from its storage location. It must also be easily returned to and retained in its storage location when it is not immediately required. The knife must be storable in a convenient fashion. The knife must not cut objects or the user when stored, when it is retrieved, and when it is returned to storage. Knife storage is typically accomplished using a sheath for fixed-blade knives, and a pouch or a clip for folding knives.
The present invention deals with a fixed-blade knife and its storage sheath. Some storage sheaths for fixed blade knives have retaining straps which hold the knife in place in the sheath for storage with a positive lock between the sheath and the knife so that the knife may not be lost from the sheath. Other sheaths serve a distinctly different detent function, which retains the knife in the sheath by friction or other easily overcome force. For extremely active pursuits, a detent-type sheath is not acceptable, because the knife may be jarred loose from the sheath and lost. In these cases, only a positive-lock type sheath is sufficient.
When the knife having a positive-lock sheath is to be used, the strap is released and the user withdraws the knife from the sheath. After use, the knife is returned to the sheath, and the user must reconnect the strap. Except for specialized, symmetric stiletto knives and their sheaths which have limited use in active pursuits, the knife must be returned to the sheath in a specific orientation in order for the strap to be reconnected. These restrictions limit the usefulness of the sheath and the knife in these activities.
Additionally, knife-and-sheath combinations used in active pursuits must be easily attached to other structure, such as a piece of apparatus or to the user. The knife and sheath must be retained securely in that position.
There is a need for a more convenient knife-and-sheath combination for use in active situations where there is a substantial chance of the knife being lost if it is not positively locked to the sheath and if the sheath itself is not secured to its support. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.
The present invention provides a knife and a sheath which, when used in combination, provide convenient storage and availability of the knife. The knife is retained in the sheath with a positive lock, as distinct from a detent. The knife may be released from the positive lock with the sheath and removed from the sheath using one hand, and returned to and locked in the sheath in either a left-hand or right-hand configuration. The sheath itself is configured for reliable, sound attachment to either the body of the user or to objects. Multiple types of attachments are provided, as may be required for a variety of situations.
In accordance with the invention, a knife-and-sheath combination comprises a knife and a sheath. The knife comprises a blade having two opposing broad faces and an opening through the blade extending between the broad faces, and a handle extending from the blade. The sheath comprises a sheath body having a receptacle sized to receive the blade therein, and a positive lock operable to lock the knife to the sheath. The positive lock includes a locking element engagable to the opening in the blade of the knife, and a lock release accessible to a user of the knife-and-sheath combination. The lock release is operable to disengage the locking element from the opening in the blade of the knife.
In one embodiment, the locking element comprises a pin having a hexagonal cross section, and the pin is oriented perpendicular to the broad faces of the knife, when the knife is received within the receptacle. The opening in the blade of the knife may have a segment comprising a side of a hexagon disposed to engage the pin when the knife blade is received within the sheath body. The locking element engages the opening with a positive lock, not a frictional detent. The knife cannot be disengaged from the sheath in expected conditions of moderate or strenuous activities without actuation of the lock release.
Desirably, the knife blade may be inserted into the sheath receptacle in either a left-handed or a right-handed orientation. In this case, the opening in the blade of the knife is disposed so that the locking element may engage the opening in the blade of the knife whether the knife is inserted into the sheath in the left-handed or the right-handed orientation.
The sheath body may be described as having a broad face. In one embodiment, the lock release comprises a flap on a face of the sheath body, wherein the flap is hinged to the broad face of the sheath, and wherein the locking element is engaged to the flap. There is a lip on an end of the flap which extends outwardly from the end of the flap, so that the user of the knife and sheath may release the lock with thumb pressure on the lip that forces the flap outwardly to withdraw the pin locking element from the opening of the knife.
Typically, the sheath further includes an elongated sheath support extending from the sheath body so that the handle of the knife is adjacent to the sheath support when the knife blade is inserted into the receptacle. The sheath support is preferably made of fabric such as webbing material. The sheath support may have a first attachment ring at a distal end thereof remote from the sheath body. A second attachment ring may be affixed to the sheath body at an end thereof remote from the first attachment ring. The second attachment ring may be movable between a retracted position and an extended position, preferably by a pivoting movement between the retracted position and the extended position. The two attachment rings allow the sheath to be affixed to objects from attachments at both ends of the sheath.
The sheath preferably has the sheath receptacle on a front side of the sheath body and has an open end for receiving the knife blade therein. The sheath further includes a clip affixed to the sheath at a location remote from the open end and extending toward the open end. The clip is on a back side of the sheath body opposite to the front side. The clip allows the sheath to be clipped to an object in the inverted position, with the knife handle extending downwardly.
The present approach provides a knife-and-sheath combination in which the knife is positively locked to the sheath for storage, except when it is intentionally released. The knife may be inserted into the sheath in either a left-hand or a right-hand orientation, with the positive lock operable in either orientation. The sheath may be secured to the user or to objects. These features impart a high degree of reliability and security to the use of the knife and the sheath, as well as convenience. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. The scope of the invention is not, however, limited to this preferred embodiment.